Standing behind Duncan was a gate of immense proportions, forged from bronze, ancient in nature. Inlaid within the door were brass glyphs, pulsating every couple of seconds. As Simon and Lewis watched in awe, a tiny counter soon materialised beside it.
Duncan went to the counter, and placed his hand on it. "I want a book that provides detailed drawings and knowledge on how to build a metal press for printing sheets..."
From behind the counter came a mechanical voice: "You do not have the prerequisite job or knowledge to rent the book. Please choose something that is in line with your current occupation."
Turning around, Duncan held up both hands. "See! Since I'm a tier-4 Woodmancer, I can't access the related knowledge to machines and artifacts. Only those who possess the prerequisite jobs and skills can access them. Do you know how frustrating that is!" Screaming at the end, Duncan was seen visibly frustrated.
"Ok, ok, Duncan. We know what you're facing now. Anyways, you need us to help you access these knowledge repositories, right?"
"Yes, otherwise I would've had the world in my hands!" Realising that he'd spoken too much, he blushed brightly, brighter than a tomato. "Forget what I said, I was too into it. So, could you please tell me what your plans are to reach the Moon?"
Simon's ears immediately perked up. "Right, one minute. Be right back..."
The dwarf dashed back into the shop, dashing upstairs madly. After a couple of seconds of thumping and bumping, he came back down with a board. He plopped it down, with a big smile on his face. "Right, here's what's gonna happen:
1) I build the rocket
2) I fly to the (real) moon
3) I land on it and inject party
Eh, eh?"
Judging by the fact that Lewis was seen hanging his head on his hands and Duncan trying his best to stop laughing, he realised that he must've screwed up somewhere. "What, what's so funny?"
"Mr Lewis, can I call you Lewis instead? Can I explain it to him?" Seeing no indication, Duncan took it as a yes.
He went to the board, and in bold, he added one more point:
0) You go to space, you explode, you die
"Wait, whuh?"
The dwarf stood confused, utterly shocked by what he's been told. Lewis kindly explained to him "Look, Simon, how should I say it right? There is nothing in space, so if we go there, the difference I'm pressures would blow us up like a bright red firework!!!"
"Wait, there's nothing? And we'll die if we go there? Then how should we go to the Moon!?"
Duncan answered it in Lewis' stead. "There are suits, or to put it in Earadun's context, armours which you wear to allow you to walk in space. But to make them, it requires us to create a lab, an oxygen diffuser, a distillation tower, a chemical synthesiser..."
Smoke could be seen escaping Simon's head, floating away into the air.
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"Oh right, can we see your status screen?"
Usually, Duncan would have smote them on the spot, or at least beat them an inch to their life. But for some reason, he had an intuitive feeling that he could show it to them.
"Sure..."
With a light tap, his status screen came up:
Name: Duncan Argelam
Age: 275
Strength: 125
Agility: 163
Intelligence: 319
Mana: 789
Stamina: 256
Skill: Mind of the Broken One (Library of Alexandria)
Skill Rank: Ex (SS)
Occupation: Woodmancer
Tier: 4
Innate Ability: Photographic Memory (4/10), Calculator Magnificus (3/10)
Abilities: Advanced Foraging (6/10), Foraging (25/25), Needlework (10/10), Basic Magic (10/10), White Magic (50/50), Bartering (35/35), Smooth Tongue (46/50), Camouflage (60/75), Digging (30/30), Demolisher (47/65), Basic Maths (10/10), Arithmetic (30/30), Algebra (20/20), Fire Magic (30/30), Advanced Fire Magic (25/100),
Titles: Lord of the Woods, Vampire Hunter, Bane of Treants, Miser, Outcast, Successful Entrepreneur, Creator of Bread, Unholy Scammer, Eagle Eye, Librarian, Reader of the Akashic Records, Blasphemer, Serial Arsonist, Billionaire, Lolicon, Marathonist, King of Hide and Seek